More like this

Google woos enterprise developers with 'Glass at Work' program

Early adopters get increased tech support

Google is making a push to get its Glass headsets into the workplace with a new program, "Glass at Work", to entice coders to build enterprise applications for companies wanting to get into the wearable computing platform.

"Today, there are thousands of consumers out there enjoying Glass in ways that are both practical and inspirational," a Google spokesman told El Reg in a statement.

"At the same time, we've also seen many in the enterprise world – from pro sports teams, to hospitals – begin experimenting with Glass. We wanted to create a program that made it easier for them to get started on implementing Glass in their businesses."

Google has set up a forum for developers building specifically for enterprise, and will post regular code updates and technical support advice for businesses and the coders who sell to them.

One such company is Wearable Intelligence, which has developed a Glass app for paramedics that show the medical history of a patent to the attending physician, shoot video of the patent for sharing with the rest of the team, and adds a messaging function for questions about care. It also strips out a lot of the additional functions so the doctor doesn't get distracted by a Facebook update during a tricky proctology exam.

Schlumberger, the world's largest oilfield services company, has also been using Wearable Intelligence code to run Glass apps for its oilfield workers, allowing them to trace out pipeline routes, update inventory, and receive warnings about dangerous problems nearby.

Google is stretching the term "enterprise developers" somewhat, however. The Washington Capitals ice hockey team has been using Google's new program, in conjunction with coders at APX Labs, to build a fan application for Glass that displays the team member being viewed and their latest stats.

Nevertheless, Glass at Work looks likely to help Google find an additional market for the head-mounted systems. No release date has been set for the commercial launch of Glass, but the Chocolate Factory does have around 10,000 headsets out there as it tries to find a way to cross the chasm to commercial success. ®